Head rest



Jan. 10, 1967 T. 1.. RUSNAK 3,296,634

HEAD REST 2 Sheets-Shem 1 Filed June 8, 1965 l I ---2 INVENTORY. f7 2 7F10MA$L Hus/wax BY Af/ 9' HIS ATTORNEYS Jan. 10, 1967 T. L. RUSNAK HEAD REST Filed June 8, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet I INVENT 'FR. FmMASLFUSNAK E fgwf HIS A TTORNEYS United States Patent C This invention relates generally to head rests and more particularly to a rest for supporting the head over the hair while lying down or on a reclining board to prevent the head from resting on rollers or crushing and disarranging the hair style.

Modern hair styles create a problem when reclining or lying horizontally. If the hair style is completed it is apt to be crushed and disrupted making it dilficult to restore without resetting. If on the other hand additional curlers are needed to refurbish a hair style it is difi'icult to retain such rollers and the unspoiled hair style while reclining or lying down. Again, when the hair is divided into strands and wrapped on curlers to obtain a permanent wave or merely to reset the same, it is very uncomfortable to lie in a reclining or horizontal position. To avoid these difficulties some persons roll up a heavy bath mat to support the neck while reclining or lying down. Such a support is in the nature of the Japanese Mucura which is in the form of an arcuate block that supports the neck but not the skull.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a head rest to protect a hair style or to permit the wearer to rest on a reclining board or lie horizontally with full support of the head and without crushing the hair style or without having to rest upon rollers or curlers wound on strands of hair.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a head rest for protecting hair styles by providing a base that may be suitably movable on or across the support or bed while reclining or lying down. This base extends forwardly from a base into a loop that passes upwardly and backwardly into a top overlying the base to support the head. The base is spaced from the overlying top to provide adequate room in which to receive the curlers or the hair style and prevent the hair style from being crushed or disarranged. This base may be continuous in extending forwardly and upwardly into a loop or bight that becomes the top and projects back over the base to overlying the curlers or hair style in spaced relation for supporting the back of the head and the neck. This head rest is preferably dished laterally so as to fit or approximately fit the back of the head and the neck and extends up somewhat on each side from the center of the head and neck to provide full support of the head of the wearer. The base may likewise have its undersurface curved upwardly on opposite sides from the center line to allow one to roll when reclining or lying horizontally and support the head when lying at one side.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a combination head rest section consisting of a plurality of tines extending rearwardly of the overlying top with the base of the tines being approximately aligned with the nape of the neck starting at the base of the skull or in the nape of the neck which in the combination with the transverse concave top surface of the tines, dished in the manner of the palm of a hand with the fingers simulating the tines, provide full support for the back of the head in spaced relation from the base leaving ample space for the greatest amount of hair of the coiifure or for rollers. In this manner the tines readily slip up through the hair and engage the back of the-head and comfortably support the same while the curlers or rollers on the hair strands depend between the underside of the tines overlying the base.

With this structure it is advisable to secure the head 3,296,634 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 rest to the head by tying a band under the loop or in slots or notches in the loop at the nape of the neck, which band extends upwardly to the forehead of the person of the wearer where it is fastened in the manner of a head band to carry the head rest. If that portion of the top from which the tines extend becomes narrower opposite the nape of the neck, or has openings therein, this band will snugly hold and support the loop against the nape of the neck and the back of the head. Thus, the loop and the top section of the head rest with the tines simulates the shape of the back of the head and the nape of the neck.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show for the purpose of exemplification without limiting the invention or claims thereto, certain pracitcal embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the head rest comprising this invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section showing half of a modified form of the head rest comprising this invention.

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of a modified form of the head rest.

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective illustrating the head rest as applied to the head of a person in a standing position with the hair put up in rollers.

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation illustrating the head rest as applied to a head of the person in a horizontal position with the hair put up in rollers.

FIG. 6 is a view in end elevation of a modified form of this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the head rest 1 is shown constructed of a single piece of material which, of course, may be a metal such as aluminum or a plastic material such as methyl methacrylate and which is formed at the base 2, the bottom of which is dished upwardly both longitudinally and transversely as indicated from the transverse construction line 3 which is a horizontal line above the surface on which the head rest is supported. Line 3 is tangent to the point 4 on the arcuate lower center of the edge of the back of the base 2. A vertical construction line 5 connects the point 4 with the point 6 on the rear edge of the base 2. The vertical construction line 5 and a horizontal construction line 7 intersects the vertical line 5 at point 6. Line 7 lies in a plane parallel, the surface supporting the head rest and this support surface is indicated by the horizontal construction line 8.

The construction line 8 intersects the vertical line 5 at 10 and the vertical line 11 at 12. The rear vertical construction line 11 intersects the horizontal line 7 at 13.

The base member 2 is dished upwardly transversely as Well as longitudinally. This is also indicated in the structure of FIG. 2 wherein the parallel construction lines 7 and 8 are shown intersecting the vertical construction line 11 at 12 and 13, and the vertical construction line 5 at 10, 4 and 6.

Referring again to FIG. 1, base continues to extend forwardly and upwardly into the loop 14 that is dished more sharply as indicated at 15 for engaging the back of the neck of the person of the wearer. The loop reaches its highest point or apex at about 16 whence it curves downwardly through a reverse curvature as indicated at 18 and extends rearwardly dished both transversely and longitudinally in a manner similar to that of the base 2 and as shown at 20 to the end thereof as indicated at 21 on the vertical construction line 11 which is to the rear of the point 6 on the base 1.

This upwardly dished section is indicated as the top 22 which extends further forward than the transverse line 23 that defines the base of the tines or comb section 24 that comprise the majority of the top section 22.

If the head support is made of metal the tines 24 would project as independent pieces of wire from the transverse line 23 as the base material which, of course, could be metal or plastic. If metal such as aluminum were used the tines could be constructed by merely sawing the top 22 from the end 21 to the line 23 to construct a myriad of parallel tines. The tines 24 may be wires inserted or otherwise secured in holes along the line 23 forming the base of the metal or plastic head rest. When the whole of the head rest is made of plastic such as an acrylic resin, the Whole of the structure is molded with the tines integral to the reverse curved portion 18 forming with the tines of the top 22 and thence integrally around the loop 14 and rearwardly forming the base 2 to the points 4 and 6 at the rear end of the base short of the top. In constructing this head rest from a resin such as an acrylic resin the material in the loop 14 may be provided with a thickened wall as illustrated in FIG. 1 so as to provide adequate strength in this loop section 14 that functions in the manner of a spring in supporting the head to thereby give it more rigidity and thereby preventing it from snapping in two parts due to overuse.

The sides of the forward part of the loop 14 or top 22 may be indented or provided with slots 25 cut therein adjacent the edges for receiving the strap member 26 that pass under the end of the loop and the beginning of the reverse curve 18 which straps are intended to extend upwardly over the ears of the person of the wearer and tied across the forehead or may be tied around the neck as indicated at FIG. 4 for supporting the head rest snuggly against the back of the neck and the base of the skull while the person of the wearer stands or sits erect. This will permit the arrangement of the coiifure in the space between the top 22 and base 2 before reclining or lying down.

It is preferable that the tines 24 forming the comb the sutficiently small in cross section to provide adequate support for the head but still finely divide the hair at the back of the neck and skull so that the hair may readily be divided into strands to be put up in rollers as shown in FIG. 4. The small tines 24 may readily slide upwardly against the back of the neck and base and back of the skull and around the back of the head without disturbing a finished coiffure which will lie behind of the top 22. The strap members or ties 26 may then be tied over the forehead to hold the device in place as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

It is preferable that the loop 14 with its apex 16 and its reverse curved section 18 be formed with different curvatures to fit different persons although structures of substantially the same dimension. However, it is preferable to have the head rest fit the nape of the neck and curvature of the skull from the base around the back of the head of the wearer. If the head rest is made from metal it can be readily formed to suit the person of the wearer. Likewise, if it is made of an acrylic resin the same can be heated and pressed to fit the shape of the back of the neck of the person of the wearer.

Referring to FIG. 2, which has substantially the same construction lines 5, 7, 8 and 11, it will be noted that the base 2 is provided with a hinge as indicated at 27 to permit the same to drop away from the top 22 as indicated in dotted lines which leaves the underside of the top 22 open for manipulating the hair style when the tines 24 of the comb are directed up under the same and against the back of the neck and the back of the head, or to permit the addition of rollers to the divided strands of hair after the comb of tines 24 has been inserted and the head rest is secured to the head.

The loop 14 together with the forward end of the top 22 including the reverse curvature section 18 is shown to be perforated as illustrated at 28 in FIG. 2 up until the line 23 at the base of the tines 24. These perforations aid in airing the skin of the person of the wearer so that the head rest whether it be metal or plastic will not be uncomfortable in wearing. In addition to the perforations, a cloth or padding 29 as shown in FIG. 3 may be wrapped or adhesively secured to the surface of the loop to make the same more comfortable if the wearer so desires.

As shown in FIG. 2 by the construction lines, the different relative depths between the base 2 and the bottom of the loop 14 from the underside of the top section 22 are given on the lines A to G for the purposes of demonstrating a preferred dimensional structure that provides adequate room between the top 22 and the base 2 for receiving the coiffure hair style or the rollers such as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. These dimensions are taken along the lines A through G the first being A shows the depth of the rise of the transverse arcuate sector from the center 21 to the side edges of the tines 24 to be seveneighths of an inch. This represents the transverse dish in the top 22. The section at B is shown as one and seven-sixteenths of an inch which is the minimum dimension between the base 2 and the underside of the top 22 which occurs at the rear end of the base 2. The next consecutive dimensions from section C to section F, inclusive, are respectively one and one-half inch, one and three-fourths inch, two inches, one and thirteenth-sixteenth inches, and the last dimension G measuring one-half inch owing to the fact that this construction line is close to the front end of the curvature of the loop 14. It would be noted that the construction lines A to G, inclusive, are equal distant from each other. It will also be noted that the transverse dish in the base 2 is preferably not as deep as the top 22 because it is preferred that the base provide a gentle rocking surface for the head of the person when lying down. It would permit the person to position the head rest between pillows so as to still maintain comfort when lying down and rolling from one side to the other as well as providing protection to the coitfure.

In the structure of FIGS. 4 and 5 the rollers 30 are shown to be applicable adjacent the line 23 where the tines 24 terminate. As illustrated, the top of the loop 14 and the top 22 are shaped to fit around the back of the head and neck and separate the rollers wound upon their independent strands of hair so as to permit freedom of action while lying down Without having to rest the head directly on the rollers.

As shown in FIG. 6, the tines 24 may, of course, be extended further around the sides of the head to simulate a helmet and to completely cover the sides of the back of the head in which instance the base 2 would be further divided into two additional parts 31 and 32 which more or less follow that of a parabola, the parts 31 anad 32 being hinged in line with the base part 2, the hinges being indicated at 33 aand 34 respectively. In this in stance the top 22 with its tines 24 forming the comb section also extend a little further around each side of the back of the head and approach the cars more than that of the structure shown in FIG. 3. Here the extent of the lateral base members 31 and 32 will permit the head to rock, while in a lying position, to a point that is substantially on either side from that of the vertical. Each of the three base sections 2, 31 and 32 will have to be especially constructed to cooperate with each other and at the same time to be hinged so as to fall away from the top section and at the same time cooperate when in position as shown to support the head when it rolls from one side to the other without undue restraint, weight, or other discomfort and permit the rollers or the coiffure to lie undisturbed in the space between the underside of the top 22 and the base sections 2, 31 and 32. The strap 26 and the structure shown in FIG. 6 is, of course, closer to the ears and is more readily excessible for securing the device to the top of the forehead.

I claim:

1. A head rest to support the head free of the hair consisting of a base which extends forwardly with a loop that projects upwardly and back over said base to provide a top in overlying spaced relation with said base, comb tine means included in said top to engage the head when extending through the hair about the back of the head and allowing the hair to be suspended between said base and said top, and said base having a transversely convexly curved under surface to permit said base and said top to roll sideways with the head of the wearer.

2. The head rest of claim 1 wherein said comb tine means extend in a reverse curve to lie in approximate contour engagement with the back of the head.

3. The head rest of claim 2 wherein hinge means secures said base to said loop to open and extend downwardly away from said comb tine means to permit working with the hair before closing the base toward said top to enclose the hair between said base and said top before supporting the head on said base.

4. The head rest of claim 1 wherein said base, loop and top is a unitary substance of substantially uniform thickness in cross section.

5. The head rest of claim 1 wherein pad means covers said loop.

6. The head rest of claim 1 wherein said top and loop are perforated.

7. The head rest of claim 1 wherein said top extends rearwardly beyond said base.

8. The head rest of claim 3 wherein said base is divided in three longitudinal sections each independently hinged to said loop and said comb tine means extended radially to the same extent as said base on each side of said top.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,491,146 4/1924 Larson 297-393 X 2,613,725 10/1952 Woodhall 297-392 X 2,630,288 3/1953 Eubanks 248118 X 2,756,808 7/1956 Eichors't 297-394 X 3,035,279 5/1962 Stead 5-337 FOREIGN PATENTS 92,455 5/ 1923 Austria.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HEAD REST TO SUPPORT THE HEAD FREE OF THE HAIR CONSISTING OF A BASE WHICH EXTENDS FORWARDLY WITH A LOOP THAT PROJECTS UPWARDLY AND BACK OVER SAID BASE TO PROVIDE A TOP IN OVERLYING SPACED RELATION WITH SAID BASE, COMB TINE MEANS INCLUDED IN SAID TOP TO ENGAGE THE HEAD WHEN EXTENDING THROUGH THE HAIR ABOUT THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND ALLOWING THE HAIR TO BE SUSPENDED BETWEEN SAID BASE AND SAID TOP, AND SAID BASE HAVING A TRANSVERSELY CONVEXLY CURVED UNDER SURFACE TO PERMIT SAID BASE AND SAID TOP TO ROLL SIDEWAYS WITH THE HEAD OF THE WEARER. 